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Child Car Safety Seats

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what representations he has received regarding the safety standards for car safety seats for children; [3429]

(2) if he will take steps in the EU to tighten minimum safety standards for car safety seats for children. [3430]

Dr. Ladyman: There has been some recent media interest regarding the safety standards for car safety seats for children. This followed the publication by Which Magazine of a report criticising the performance of certain child restraint systems.

The Government are already looking at ways of raising the minimum safety standards for car safety seats for children by developing more rigorous seat testing involving side impact.

The UK has been heavily involved in the development of two test protocols specifically aimed at improving the performance of child seats during side impact. We expect the first of these protocols to be included in a wide ranging review of the European standards that is expected around March 2006. The second is a more demanding side impact protocol that is intended to rank performance for consumer information purposes and is also expected early next year.

Free Bus Travel

Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his estimate is of the cost to local
 
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authorities of the introduction of free-fare schemes for people aged over 60 years and people who are disabled for local journeys by bus; and whether the cost to local authorities will be fully reimbursed by his Department. [3795]

Ms Buck: The Government will provide an extra £350 million in 2006–07 which will be sufficient to fund the cost to local authorities.

Lime Street Station

Mrs. Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has held concerning plans for major internal refurbishment of Lime Street station. [3516]

Derek Twigg: Network Rail advises that development of a scheme to enhance the interior of Liverpool Lime Street Station is underway. The current package of works includes the improvement of interchange facilities through the relocation of the taxi pick up point to the Skelhorne street side of the station together with the reconfiguration of the vehicular access and short stay car parking area. This work, costing £1.5 million to be funded by Merseytravel PTE, links into Liverpool's city centre movement strategy which will see a number of alterations to the highway network around the station. It will also free up space at the Lord Nelson street side of the station, allowing the development of improved passenger/retail facilities. This scheme is planned to be ready for Liverpool's tenure as European capital of culture in 2008.

I understand that Merseytravel and its partners have proposals to further enhance Lime street station as a true gateway to the city by relocating the ticket office and travel centre into Lime street chambers and resurfacing the concourse and platforms.

Lorries

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration his Department has given to issuing permits to operate lorries of 25.5 metres in length. [2379]

Dr. Ladyman: My Department has received two applications to trial vehicle trailer combinations that are longer than those currently permitted (18.75m). We are considering the issues surrounding their use in particular their manoeuvrability and the likely effect on other road users, especially those who are more vulnerable. We are also considering the logistical benefits that these vehicles may give the haulage industry, and the impact on road and rail freight movements.

M6

Dr. Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many vehicles on average use the M6 between Stoke and Knutsford on each weekday in the last period for which figures are available. [2763]

Dr. Ladyman: The average number of vehicles using the M6 between junctions 15 and 19, on each weekday between 2002 and 2004, are provided in the table.
 
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Average 24 hour traffic volume

		2002					2003
Location	Direction	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thur	Fri	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thur	Fri
Junction 15 to 16	N/B	53,455	54,104	55,406	59,597	62,837	51,566	54,423	55,966	58,413	62,263
	S/B	59,165	55,265	56,118	58,572	59,873	56,931	54,818	55,773	57,023	55,381
	Comb.	112,620	109,369	111,524	118,169	122,710	108,497	109,241	111,739	115,436	117,644
Junction. 16 to 17	N/B	56,983	60,727	64,246	65,911	70,008	57,346	61,125	62,799	65,385	70,787
	S/B	62,680	60,890	63,140	63,624	63,604	62,673	62,603	61,902	63,754	64,130
	Comb.	119,663	121,617	127,386	129,535	133,612	120,019	123,728	124,701	129,139	134,917
Junction 17 to 18	N/B	59,670	62,495	65,011	68,019	72,040	59,260	62,822	64,306	67,211	71,630
	S/B	65,383	63,844	65,201	66,268	66,623	64,354	64,177	64,327	65,714	65,765
	Comb	125,053	126,339	130,212	134,287	138,663	123,614	126,999	128,633	132,925	137,395
Junction 18 to 19	N/B	58,457	61,002	64,224	66,549	70,542	59,079	62,514	64,024	66,841	71,106
	S/B	64,413	62,860	64,793	65,446	65,052	64,142	64,068	63,771	65,378	65,242
	Comb.	122,870	123,862	129,017	131,995	135,594	123,221	126,582	127,795	132,219	136,348

		2004
Location	Direction	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thur	Fri
Junction 15 to 16	N/B	55,790	59,314	60,790	64,164	66,441
	S/B	61,284	60,532	61,127	61,590	61,627
	Comb.	117,074	119,846	121,917	125,754	128,068
Junction 16 to 17	N/B	61,924	64,861	65,928	67,673	71,873
	S/B	65,114	63,899	65,119	65,230	66,724
	Comb.	127,038	128,760	131,047	132,903	138,597
Junction 17 to 18	N/B	60,279	63,978	65,260	68,052	71,221
	S/B	66,234	65,318	66,083	66,382	66,267
	Comb	126,513	129,296	131,343	134,434	137,488
Junction 18 to 19	N/B	60,882	64,614	65,391	68,438	71,458
	S/B	66,985	66,344	67,112	67,214	66,972
	Comb.	127,867	130,958	132,503	135,652	138,430

Minicabs

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of unlicensed minicabs operating in each English region. [2410]

Ms Buck: The law throughout England and Wales requires that all mini-cabs (formally termed private hire vehicles) and their drivers and operators must be licensed. Local licensing authorities and the police are responsible for enforcement. The Department has made no assessment of the extent of illegal operation.

Mini-motorbikes

Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to discourage illegal use of mini-motorbikes on (a) public roads and (b) public spaces; and if he will make a statement. [3323]

Dr. Ladyman: Powered vehicles (whether internal combustion or electric) are motor vehicles within the meaning of the Road Traffic Act 1988 as amended. Any powered vehicle used on the public highway must comply with all aspects of road traffic law, including construction requirements, registration, road tax, insurance etc. The rider/driver should hold an appropriate licence and, where required, wear a suitable helmet.

Enforcement is a matter for individual Chief Officers of Police. Powers under the Police Reform Act 2002
 
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allow a constable in uniform, after giving a warning, to stop and seize a motor vehicle if he/she has grounds for believing that it is being used in a careless and inconsiderate manner, or being driven illegally off-road, or being used (or is likely to be used) in an antisocial manner causing harassment, alarm or distress.

The Department has been advised that the packaging on powered toys such as miniature motorbikes generally includes a warning that the item is not for highway use. However it may be that, once such packaging is discarded, this is overlooked or ignored. We are therefore currently considering whether advice reminding purchasers and others of this issue might usefully be disseminated.

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